Burma Army (BA) soldiers have raped at least 72 people, but sexual violence against civilians is likely to be higher since the military coup took over the country 17 months ago, according to Duwa Lashi La, acting president of the interim National Unity Government (NUG).

Last week, during the round table End Sexual Violence on the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict on 19 June, he said: “We've concrete evidence...BA committed sexual violence during 17 incidents in Mandalay, Sagaing and Magwe regions and Chin State between October 2021 and April 2022.”

NUG has documented 49 women, 20 youth, 2 men and one LGBT person brutally tortured and gang raped by regime soldiers who use sexual violence as a weapon against the population.

“For example, BA soldiers (gang) raped a woman in Tedim who'd recently given birth in front of her husband. Another time, BA soldiers raped 30 females, including girls, in Kin and Oak Nae villages in Min Kin Township in Sagaing Region,” Duwa Lashi La said.

Aung Myo Min, the NUG Human Rights Minister, said that BA has been perpetrating sexual violence against women in ethnic states for decades. “It's as if BA has given its soldiers a licence to rape women in ethnic areas. They've abducted women and burned entire villages...with impunity.”

He said that “it's not only women who suffer sexual violence, but also children who are not protected by the law”.

Ei Thinzar Maung, NUG Deputy Minister for Women, Youths and Children, said: “We need the help of our people to end impunity for soldiers and take legal action against them.”

Human and women's rights activists report that the BA also abduct women, children and men, and use them as human shields during battles with ethnic armed organisations and People's Defence Forces in ethnic areas of the country.